Forgetting Our Heroes: Vets Miss Out On Benefits

• It pains us to say that this story won’t be the first time we’ve told you about how our heroic veterans are missing out on the benefits and care they deserve, at the expense and greed of others. In fact, back in May of last year, the Los Angeles Times reported how officials at the cash-strapped Department of Veterans Affairs gave themselves — in sum — a total $3.8 million in bonuses, even though the VA was nearly broke. [Mic Check]
• Then, in December, we told you how, according to the American Institute of Philanthropy, which serves as a watchdog organization for the philanthropy world, eight veterans charities, including some of the nation’s largest, gave less than a third of the money raised to wounded vets. [Mic Check]
• And now, we’ve got some more bad news. According to local liaisons, “many veterans never receive the federal and state benefits to which they’re entitled because they’re unaware they qualify for health care, tax breaks and other compensation.” [USA Today]
• The VA gives briefings and booklets about benefits to military personnel before they are discharged and sends each a “welcome home” packet with reminders and toll-free numbers. But it’s not enough. Veterans often don’t know they can get financial or medical help or increases in disability pay, says Jim Golgart, a veterans service officer in Le Center, Minn.
• And now, many state veterans groups are saying the federal VA needs to step it up by giving outreach grants to state agencies.
• As it stands now, 30 states have county veterans service officers to give out information and help fill out applications; the rest have state or regional officers. Those advocates say reaching veterans is difficult.
• The good news? Legislation pending in the Senate would create a separate budget for VA outreach. The House of Representatives has passed a similar bill.

http://miccheckradio.org/issues/2008/january/10/necessary_news#15645

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